Guo Yan lives in an old courtyard along an alley in the ancient city of Kaifeng in Central China’s Henan Province. Her place is a bit shabby and belies the historical significance of its location. The interior decorations give a large hint to her life’s calling: A tapestry of the Star of David hangs on the wall, a menorah sits on a table beside a window and a mezuza is glued on the door frame.
Guo is a descendant of ancient Jewish traders who 1,100 years ago traveled the Silk Road and settled in the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127).
“People always ask me, how can I really know that I’m Jewish?” says Guo, whose thin face and pointed chin give her a typically Chinese appearance. “For me it’s a weird question. I’ve known it all my conscious life.”
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